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Grk #1
A Dog Called Grk
When Tim is followed home by a dog on the street, he's determined to find out who the friendly stray belongs to. But with a little investigating, Tim discovers that Grk's owners don't live in his town, or even in his country. Max and Natascha Raffifi, Grk's owners, have been kidnapped with their ambassador parents by the evil Colonel Zinfandel and taken to a prison in Eastern Europe! Tim knows he's about to undertake a mission his parents wouldn't exactly approve of. He sneaks out of the house in the middle of the night with Grk, catches a taxi to the airport, then hops a plane to Stanislavia. Together he and Grk will have to break into a high-security prison, pilot a helicopter, and make a nail-biting run for the border in this high-octane, international adventure.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
15 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 29, 2016
I loved the book some things I was just like huh??? Because some British things didn't make sense to my American knowledge
November 13, 2015
A Dog Called Grk is a fun book that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. I liked that Tim was being tracked down by Major Raki, who is a pretty bad dude, and didn't even know it. The story is face-paced and well-written. The bad guys are really bad and Tim and Grk are wonderful characters.
Could Tim really get away with some of the things he did? Well, no. But this is a work of fiction and I like to let my imagination run wild. And I liked that he had two rescue two other children. After all, kids need to stick together. This book is just the beginning of a new series of Grk books, and I think that it is a great beginning.
Overall, A Dog Called Grk is a terrific book and I look forward to seeing what happens next in Grk and the Pelotti Gang. Go get 'em, Grk!
I rated this book an 8 out of 10.
Could Tim really get away with some of the things he did? Well, no. But this is a work of fiction and I like to let my imagination run wild. And I liked that he had two rescue two other children. After all, kids need to stick together. This book is just the beginning of a new series of Grk books, and I think that it is a great beginning.
Overall, A Dog Called Grk is a terrific book and I look forward to seeing what happens next in Grk and the Pelotti Gang. Go get 'em, Grk!
I rated this book an 8 out of 10.
September 27, 2022
PERFECT ENGLISH ENTRY-LEVEL BOOK. give this to your little brother or sister and ignite their love for books again.
Simple English, captivating story, perfect balance of seriousness (corrupt gov, refugees, etc.) with humour, fucking loved this book. PERFECT beginner English-reading Literature, give this to your little brother or sister, their puny tik-tok riddled brains will be able to comprehend the simple, yet much-saying and interesting sentences of this book, even if they’re longer than three words. Might even ignite their love for books again!
Simple English, captivating story, perfect balance of seriousness (corrupt gov, refugees, etc.) with humour, fucking loved this book. PERFECT beginner English-reading Literature, give this to your little brother or sister, their puny tik-tok riddled brains will be able to comprehend the simple, yet much-saying and interesting sentences of this book, even if they’re longer than three words. Might even ignite their love for books again!
March 17, 2021
This book was the best!!!!! This is my favourite book of all time. It had a mix of different genres like mystery and adventure. Grk is such a smart and loyal dog and Tim is a brave and courageous boy. The only thing that was bad in my opinion is that no one would do what Tim does. I mean, he's a guy that left his parents and country, even stole his parents money just to return this dog!! But it is a fiction book anyways. But my overall rating is 5/5 stars. I loved it
July 3, 2017
My eight year old and I took turns reading this out loud to each other to improve his reading. We both enjoyed the adventure part of the storyline. The characters could have been a bit stronger, but still a good read.
June 21, 2012
Oh, my goodness, wow. I am in love with this book, I am actually holding it right now!! I have probably read it one million times. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
February 2, 2019
A bit mad but endearingly friendly and adventurous. Stuff does happen though and the baddies are bad! Pacy and an easy read for children working toward longer stories.
August 22, 2023
I would highly recommend this book to those who like reading together with their children. Especially if your children are interested in aircraft and dogs. The language is excellent and it isn’t boring for adults, and gives plenty of opportunities to decode the meaning to your children. The only thing I should warn you about is that it is about the reality which can be difficult to accepts for very sensitive kids, such as killing, corruption and politics.
September 9, 2017
A good children's book.
June 29, 2018
A.T. liked "the connection between a dog and a human [and recommends it for] dog-lovers and people interested in the military."
Read
April 4, 2020Good but found boring after a bit.
May 26, 2022
La trama es random
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2025
so much fun
July 23, 2008
I'm reading this aloud with Sarah and Jake right now--so far, it's a good read-aloud for both of them, and the chapters are nice and quick, which is good since Jake tends to fall asleep quickly at bedtime. Hopefully it will be one that we all enjoy, as there are several more in this series. Oddly enough, I feel like one of the first people in the world to read this book--there was only one review on Amazon, and only one rating here on Goodreads. Hmm. I'll let you know if we discovered a gem, or just a rock...
Update:
We finally finished reading "Grk," as this book came to be known in our house, having been slightly derailed by vacations. While I might have given this only 2 stars on my own, I'm going to give it 3 stars as a result of it having captured both my children's attention, and held it over the course of the three weeks plus (some nights we didn't read, as we were traveling) that it took us to finish. It provided a lot of material for discussions as well...
This is the story of Tim, an only child of two workaholic parents in London (who we find out, at the end, do actually care for their son more than their jobs), who finds (or is found by?) a dog that turns out to belong to the daughter of an ambassador from the (fictional) country of Stanislavia. Tim and Grk embark on an adventure to rescue Grk's owner from the evil military dictator of Stanislavia, Colonel Zinfandel. All turns out well, in the end, but there are some tense bumps along the way.
Perhaps my favorite part about this book was that it allowed me to indulge in some excellent accents as I read it out loud--none were very good, but I had fun throwing in a variety of British and "Stanislavian" (something like a bad Slavic/Russian/German mixture) accents. I also enjoyed the narrator's voice, which addresses the listeners frequently, instructing them on the vocabulary and political situations that would be unfamiliar, as well as providing a somewhat assuring sense that nothing too terrible will happen to the children. However, Colonel Zinfandel and his henchman, Major Raki, are not nice, and lock up the children of the ambassador, and actually kill the ambassador and his wife (not described, but told after the fact). There are sequels to this book, which involve the children seeking revenge on the Colonel.
My kids are requesting the sequels, and I'm investigating...The responsible adult in me is not sure I like the idea of children seeking revenge for the murder of their parents--even in this highly fictionalized manner--but the part of me that remembers reading as a child knows that tension, adventure, and a healthy dose of good vs. evil is what makes for a memorable book. We'll see...
Update:
We finally finished reading "Grk," as this book came to be known in our house, having been slightly derailed by vacations. While I might have given this only 2 stars on my own, I'm going to give it 3 stars as a result of it having captured both my children's attention, and held it over the course of the three weeks plus (some nights we didn't read, as we were traveling) that it took us to finish. It provided a lot of material for discussions as well...
This is the story of Tim, an only child of two workaholic parents in London (who we find out, at the end, do actually care for their son more than their jobs), who finds (or is found by?) a dog that turns out to belong to the daughter of an ambassador from the (fictional) country of Stanislavia. Tim and Grk embark on an adventure to rescue Grk's owner from the evil military dictator of Stanislavia, Colonel Zinfandel. All turns out well, in the end, but there are some tense bumps along the way.
Perhaps my favorite part about this book was that it allowed me to indulge in some excellent accents as I read it out loud--none were very good, but I had fun throwing in a variety of British and "Stanislavian" (something like a bad Slavic/Russian/German mixture) accents. I also enjoyed the narrator's voice, which addresses the listeners frequently, instructing them on the vocabulary and political situations that would be unfamiliar, as well as providing a somewhat assuring sense that nothing too terrible will happen to the children. However, Colonel Zinfandel and his henchman, Major Raki, are not nice, and lock up the children of the ambassador, and actually kill the ambassador and his wife (not described, but told after the fact). There are sequels to this book, which involve the children seeking revenge on the Colonel.
My kids are requesting the sequels, and I'm investigating...The responsible adult in me is not sure I like the idea of children seeking revenge for the murder of their parents--even in this highly fictionalized manner--but the part of me that remembers reading as a child knows that tension, adventure, and a healthy dose of good vs. evil is what makes for a memorable book. We'll see...
January 24, 2009
A Dog Called Grk is the story of 12-year-old Timothy Malt, whose life consists of fairly normal activities like going to school and playing computer games. One day Tim stumbles upon a small black and white dog called Grk who doesn't seem to have a home to go to and is in need of something to eat. A bit of investigation shows that Grk was owned by a girl named Natascha Raffifi, the daughter of the former ambassador from the country of Stanislavia who has recently been forced to return to his home country. When his parents will not let him keep Grk, Tim sees no other choice: He must travel to Stanislavia and return Grk to Natascha himself.
What Tim does not immediately realize is that Natascha and her brother Max are being held captive in a high-security prison and thought (incorrectly) to be traitors to their home country! The evil Colonel Zinfandel, who has taken over Stanislavia and rules with an iron fist, will stop at nothing to make sure that Natascha and Max remain locked away. But what chance to a boy and a rather foolish dog have against an army?
This book is a zany adventure that's a ton of fun. Most of the action is fairly unrealistic, but this only helps to add to the fun of the adventure. Fans of other quirky reads, especially Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, will definitely enjoy this book. The only flaw in this book is the ending, which was just a bit too quick and tidy for my taste. However, additional books about Grk and his human friends will surely keep readers on their toes as they have other adventures.
What Tim does not immediately realize is that Natascha and her brother Max are being held captive in a high-security prison and thought (incorrectly) to be traitors to their home country! The evil Colonel Zinfandel, who has taken over Stanislavia and rules with an iron fist, will stop at nothing to make sure that Natascha and Max remain locked away. But what chance to a boy and a rather foolish dog have against an army?
This book is a zany adventure that's a ton of fun. Most of the action is fairly unrealistic, but this only helps to add to the fun of the adventure. Fans of other quirky reads, especially Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, will definitely enjoy this book. The only flaw in this book is the ending, which was just a bit too quick and tidy for my taste. However, additional books about Grk and his human friends will surely keep readers on their toes as they have other adventures.
September 13, 2008
I guess you could call this a "plucky child" book for our times. Sort of like Eva Ibbotson without the charm. Tim, a neglected only child of middle class parents, comes into possession of a very nondescript dog. It turns out that Grk actually belongs to the daughter of the ambassador of Stanislavia. When Tim learns that Natascha has been hijacked back to Stanislavia and imprisones, he makes the unusual decision to return Grk to her. Armed with his father's credit card, he starts on an epic quest which includes stealing a helicopter, which he is able to fly because of all of his lonely moments using simulators on his computer. While there is plenty of action here, there is no compulsion to either love the hero or even to connect with the hapless Grk.
May 27, 2015
Read this to my son when he was sick. From the cover it looked like it was going to be a cute story about a boy and his dog. Boy was the cover deceiving is was definitely not a “cute” story. I had to do a lot of editing. The book is full of violence that is not appropriate for a children’s book.
1) parents are killed by the dictator's henchman (not described, but told after the fact).
2) a colonel breaks a soldier's nose
3) people threatening to shoot kids
4) a car crash that leaves a henchman dead and the kids staring at his body.
Cannot recommend this book. He absolutely will not be reading anymore of this series.
1) parents are killed by the dictator's henchman (not described, but told after the fact).
2) a colonel breaks a soldier's nose
3) people threatening to shoot kids
4) a car crash that leaves a henchman dead and the kids staring at his body.
Cannot recommend this book. He absolutely will not be reading anymore of this series.
November 5, 2007
This story has been described as akin to Lemony Snicket, but the phoney arch tone isn't in the writing. But dreadful things DO happen including helicopters exploding, a colonel breaking a soldier's nose, people threatening to shoot kids and a car crash that leaves a character (admittedly a bad one) dead and the kids staring at his body.
I think we're going to put this in YA.....
I think we're going to put this in YA.....
July 27, 2008
In this English import, Tim tries to reunite a dog called Grk with his family who has been imprisoned by an evil dictatorship from the country of Stanislavia. What occurs is an adventure story with a helicopter, an evil Colonel, a high-security prison, a dog, worried parents, and representatives of the English government. The first in a series, three being published in the U.S. so far.
October 10, 2008
On his way home from school, Timothy Malt was followed home by a stray dog. He was very curious of who the dog's owners are. One night, Timothy escapes from home aned tries to return the dog called Grk back to his owners. By using his dad's credit card, Timothy manages to reach Sanislavia, where Grk's owners are. He ends up saving Grk's owners and reaching back home, in England safely.
November 12, 2012
Naja also ich fand dieses Buch teilweise langweilig und teilweise spannend. Deswegen hatte ich einfach beschlossen fünf Punkte zu geben. Für die acht Jährigen ist das sicher ein gutes Buch. Für die Viel Spaß dann noch beim lesen. Für die erwachsene ist das sicher Schrott. Also würde ich euch euch raten es nicht zu lesen.
Also dann bis zum nächsten mal Eure Dilara!!!
Also dann bis zum nächsten mal Eure Dilara!!!
September 1, 2015
In this book A Dog Called Grk, the main character and Grk the dog go on an amazing adventure to find Grk's real owners. It kept me reading because it made me feel how I feel with my dog. I could really relate to the book for that reason. I would recomend this book to anyone how loves to read about mysteries, follow the story and predict what's going to happen.
April 24, 2018
I had this book read to me in Year 4 and distinctly remember two things:
- Grk is a bad ass dog that I want too.
- Playing helicopter simulators is a good way to learn to fly one.
Perhaps neither of these facts are true, but to a 6/7 year old, this is an immensely enjoyable book I'd like to read with my baby brother one day.
- Grk is a bad ass dog that I want too.
- Playing helicopter simulators is a good way to learn to fly one.
Perhaps neither of these facts are true, but to a 6/7 year old, this is an immensely enjoyable book I'd like to read with my baby brother one day.
June 26, 2011
Based on the story line I thought I would like this a lot better, thought it was a bit simply written for the amount of action in the story, almost like the kid was a lot younger than 12. More like 7 or 8. But definetly could recommend it to my students.
May 23, 2013
British Tim finds Grk the dog and takes him to Stanislavia to reunite him with his proper owners, who have been imprisoned during a coup. Great fun for adults and kids. A smart, funny adventure story.
February 10, 2014
When Tim finds a small dog outside his home, he is determined to return it to its rightful owner (his parents won't let him keep it) even if he has to cross the continent to do so. British language (jumper, etc.) and a Snicketish flair.
June 30, 2015
It was good, per my 7yr old son. It held his attention while he carried it around the house reading as he walked. He was thrilled to learn its a series so we checked out 3 more Grk books from the library right away.
July 22, 2008
where is Stanislavia?
May 13, 2009
Fine, unremarkable book. There were passages that were interestingly written/had a unique spin, but I never cared very much about the characters or felt any kind of excitement.
May 8, 2010
awsome
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews